In this follow-up to Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra, Tess learns that life, like algebra, sometimes has no solutions. Sometimes you just have to take a risk and figure out your own answers.

The spring semester of eighth grade, like algebra, has become even more complicated for math-lover Tess. There’s the new girl at school, whom Tess is not quite sure is a friend. There’s bully Richard, who keeps playing mean pranks on her—but if she tells on him, he can finally call her a snitch, so she’s not sure she should.

There’s mysterious graffiti on the wall that seems to be a math code. Is it meant for Tess to understand? Could it have anything to do with the fire set in evil Mr. Z’s classroom?

Finally, Damien seems to be hanging around more than ever, but she’s not sure why— is it because he likes her, or is it just a “coincidental system” like the one she learned about in algebra class?

In the end, Tess figures out that sometimes life doesn’t offer formulas to figuring out the answers. Sometimes you have to take a risk and create your own formulas and discover your own solutions, even if you make a few mistakes along the way.